The present invention relates to replacement refill units for wiper blades and more particularly to a wiper blade refill assembly comprising in combination a refill unit and a set of adapter clips for accomodating a refill unit to diverse superstructures.
Windshield wiper blades generally include flexible pressure distributing superstructures usually comprising a plurality of articulated levers pivotally connected together having longitudinally spaced aligned pairs of opposed blade straddling claws depending from the levers to slidably receive and retain a replaceable wiping assembly or refill unit, including an elastomeric squeegee element and backing element for supporting the squeegee element. The separations between the opposed blade straddling claws vary among superstructures of different sizes, different designs, and wiper blades made by different manufacturers, thus creating a problem in providing a suitable universal replacement wiper blade refill unit. This problem has been partially overcome for a limited range in the separation of the opposed blade straddling claws. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,794 a reversible backing strip is disclosed which is adaptable to superstructures having opposed claws spaced apart two different widths. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,265 a refill unit is disclosed having a backing strip with its side rails attached to the squeegee carrying body by flexible leg portions so that the side rails can be compressed to accomodate a limited range of claw separation. In other attempts to overcome this problem refill units have been supplied with a sizing gauge and directions to spread or compress the blade straddling claws with the aid of the sizing gauge. Backing strips have been made in compromised widths to accomodate different superstructures. Thus, these are not wide enough to properly fit the wider claws and are so wide as to fit too snugly in the narrower claws.